Meter.



No. 817,887. PATENTED APR. 17, 1906. J.-A. TILDEN.

METER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY7, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

James E 777ae/7 No. 817,887. PATENTED APR. 17, 1906. J. A. TILDEN.

METER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, 1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Mvenfor James /7. 7776/61? 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTOF.

JAMES A. TILDEN, OF HYDE PARK, MASSAOHUSETTS ASSIGNOR TO HERSEYMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SOUTH BOSTON, MASSA CHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMAINE.

METER.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 17, 1906.

Application filedJuly 7,1905. $erialNo.268,622.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES A. TILDEN, a citizen of the United States,residingat Hyde Park, in the county of Norfolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMeters, of which the following is a s ecification.

My invention re ates to meters, and more particularly to those of thecurrent type.

ts principal objects are to provide an effective apparatus of thischaracter.

It consists in the various features and combinations hereinafterdescribed and more particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central verticallongitudinal section through one embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is atop plan view with the cover removed. Fig. 3 is a broken horizontalsection on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective viewsof the deflector and wheel, respectively. Fig. 6 is a top plan view ofsaid wheel, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail of the step orthrust-bearing taken in a plaie between the arms of the supporting- SP1er.

Similar characters indicate like throughout the several figures of themgs.

10 designates an outer casing having an upward extension 11, which isopen at the arts top and which may be closed by a cover 12.

This cover carries the usual register mechanism 13. In the casing isformed an inletpassage 14, in-which is shown a strainer 15, while in thecover and casing is an outletpassa e 16. Between 'the passages andseparate from'the outlet by a transverse wall 17 is a chamber 18.

About the top of the chamber in the inner edge of the extension and thewall is a recess adapted to'receive a flange 19, rojecting from theupper extremit of a sleeve or inner casing 20, which as ill ilstrated iscylindrical in form and extends downwardly through the chamber towardthe inlet-passage. The cover- 12 rojects over the flange 19,where itrests in the extension recess and, being held in place by bolts 21,serves to normally maintaln the-sleeve in osition in the chamber. Theupper edge of the sleeve extends inwardly at 22 and may have a portioncored out at 23 to effect reduction in weight.

device.

From the opposite end of the sleeve lugs 24- these openings arepreferably inserted bushings 32, which may be of hard rubber and whichhave upon their adjacent ends flanges 33 extending over the bosses. Atthe lower portion of the recess 31 is a threaded opening 34, whichreceives a screw 35, having its inner end lying within the recess andwhich is preferably held against accidental rotation y a lock-nut 36.Supported upon the upp end of the screw within the recess is a befreely-movable member 37, furnishing a ste or thrust-bearing for aspindle 33, whic bears laterall upon the bushings. Between the arms oftlic spider 27 are shown 0 enings 39 into the recess adjacent to the enof the screw, these permitting a free flow of fluid through thebearinthus keeping it washed clean of particles w 'ch might produce wear. Theu per end of the spindle is connected with t eregister-gearing by an arm40, extending through a lateral opening in the spindle and held in placetherein by a setscrew 41.

The spindle carries a wheel or measuring This as illustrated comprises asleeve 42, fixed to the spindle and provided with a flan e 43, which maycontact with the upper bushing and at its opposite extremity with aflange 44 of greater diameter than its companion and to which isattached a head 45. Projecting upwardly from the head near its periphery1s a circumferential series of vanes 46, lying substantially parallel tothe spindle and inclined with respect to radii from the axis of thewheel. Connecting the vanes at their upper ends is shown a ring 47, andthis, to ether with the vanes and head, are referab y ofhard rubber. Thediameter oft e wheel is such that a considerable space -;is left at 48between it and the inclosing sleeve, this being substantially closednear its upper end by the ortion 22, which extends 1nto proximity wlththe rin 47.

(The boss of the spider 26 may e threaded inlet-passage and risesbetween the arms of' the spider 27 into the space 48, surrounding thewheel. The current now passes through the spaces between the vanes indirections substantially radial to the axis, it being directed by theportion 22 of the casing, exerting a force against their inclined faceswhich causes the wheel to rotate in its bearings. This movement iscommunicated to the register by the spindle and arm to indicate thequantity of fluid flowing. After its passage between the vanes the fluidcontinues its radial travel until it strikes the deflector, which causesit to move substantially parallel to the axis between the arms of thespider 26 into the outlet-passage. Upon a cessation of the fluidflow therotation of the wheel is promptly stopped to prevent racing orover-registration through the resistance exerted by the vanes and thewings 53 against the'fluid. The efliciency of thewings is increased bytheir position at the inlet side of the wheel. Here the fluid enters thechamber in a direction parallel to the axis and is ractically unefiectedby the movement 0 the wheel, which causes the fluid at the outlet sideto rotate with it and to tend to continue in motion after flow hasstopped. Consequently these wings act in a substantially immobile body,furnishing a maximum resistance. It should be noted, however, that bydispensing with the customary fixed and inclined directing or reactionvanes and allowing the fluid upon both sides of the wheel-vanes to movein right lines such swirling or rotary currents are largely eliminated,they arising only from the travel of the wheel itself. Moreover, theomission of these elements and the providing instead of ample spaces atboth sides of the vanes renders it impossible for entering solids toclog or break the wheel.

As the fluid rises a ainst the under side of the head it tends to iftthe wheel, and thus relieve the ball from the weight of the rotatingparts. The fluid which exerts this lifting force transmits its pressurethrou h the openings 52 to the upper side of the ead, practicallybalancing it, and this allows the upward pressure to be reduced to thedesired extent, preventing a transference of the thrust to the upperbearing.

It will be seen that my improved arrangement of separablesleevesupporting the measuring device and being held in place in thecasing by the cover renders it possible upon the removal of the latterelement to withdraw the sleeve and measuring device together. Thishaving been done all parts may be readily seen and maybe disassembledwithout the danger of injury which exists when unskilled persons attemptto take out elements independently secured within the casi and to agreater or less extent concealii Having thus described my invention, Iclaim 4 1. A meter comprising a movable measuring member having vanessurrounded by an unimpeded s ace, a bearing for supporting the weight 0the measuring member, and means situated at the opposite end of saidmember from the bearin for directing the fluid to be measured t ough thes ace against the vanes and in the direction 0 the axis of the member.

' 2. A meter comprising a measuring device having a head provided withan opening through which the fluid to be measured may flow and vanesprojecting from the head, means for delivering outer side of the head,and a deflector situated within the vanes, there bein aspace betweensaid deflector and the hea 3. In a meter, the combination with athrust-bearing, of a spindle rotatable therein,

the fluid against the a head carried by the spindle, vanes projectingfrom the head, and means for delivering the fluid to be measured againstthe side of the head toward the bearing.

4. In a meter, the combination with a thrust-bearin of a spindlerotatable therein, a head carrie by the spindle and being provided witha contracted opening through which the fluid to be measured may flow,vanes projecting from the head, and means for delivering the fluidagainst the side of the head toward the bearing.

5. The combination with a casing, of a sleeve supported therein, ameasuring device mounted to rotate within the sleeve and having vanesspaced from said sleeve, and means for delivering the fluid to bemeasured through said space and radially with respect to the axis of themeasuring device.

6. The combination with a casing, of a sleeve supported therein, ameasuring device mounted to rotate within the sleeve and having vanesspaced from said sleeve, and a closure between the sleeve and measuringdevice near one end of the space.

7. The combination with a casing, of a sleeve supported therein, and awheel mounted to rotate within the sleeve and hav- 8. The combinationwith a casing, of a sleeve supported therein, a wheel mounted to rotatewithin the sleeve and having ahead and vanes projecting from the headand being spaced from the sleeve, and a closure between the sleeve andmeasurin device near the opposite end from the hea 9. The combinationwith a casing, of a sleeve supported therein, and a Wheel rotatablewithin the sleeve and having a head, vanes projecting from the head andbeing spaced from the sleeve and a ring connecting the vanes at the endsopposite the head.

10. The combination with a casing furnishing a chamber, of separatedspiders situ-' ated in the chamber and being provided with alinedopenings, bushings for the openings havingv flanges upon their adjacentends extending over the spiders, a spindle rotatable in the bushin and ameasuring device fixed to the spind e and which may contact with thebushing-flanges.

1 1. The combination with a casing, of separated supports, a measurindevice rotatable upon the supports, and a eflector mounted upon one ofthese supports and extending within the measuring device.

12. The combination with a casing furnishing a chamber, of a spiderextending across the chamber and being rovided with a recess into whichare latera openings between its arms, a spindle bearing in the recess,and a measuring device fixed to the spindle.

13. The combination with a main casing having a chamber and a flow-passae separated from one another, both cham er and passage opening at thetop of the casing, of an inner casing situated in the chamber and beingsupported about a portion of the edge of the main casing-opening, and acover for said opening cooperating with the inner casl l. Thecombination with a casing, of a separable sleeve mounted therein,supports extending across the opposite end of the sleeve, a measuringdevice rotatable upon the supports, and a deflector mounted upon one ofthe supports.

15. A meter comprising a casing, a measuring device rotatable therein,there being a rotary current produced in the casing during the movementof the measuring device, and

fluid-engaging means for resisting the rotation of the'measuring device,said means being within the casing and out of the rotary current flowingfrom the measuring device.

16. A meter comprising a casing having inlet and outlet passages, ameasuring device movable between the passages, and a resistance membersituated upon the inlet side of the measuring device.

17. A meter comprising a casing havin inlet and outlet passages, a wheelprovide with a head at the side toward the inlet, and resistance-armsprojecting from the head.

18. A meter comprising a measuring device, an inclosure extending intoproximity with the measuring device near one extremity and being spacedfrom the remainder thereof, and means for deliveringthe fluid to bemeasured at the opposite extremity of the wheel.

Signed at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,this 30th day of June, 1905.

JAMES A. TILDEN.

Witnesses:

HENRY D. WINTON, FRANCIS C. HERSEY, Jr

